


Charlie Barber

by whiskey_bumblebee



Category: Marriage Story (2019)
Genre: Cheating, Divorce, Extramarital Affairs, F/M, Implied/Referenced Cheating
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:41:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25735957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whiskey_bumblebee/pseuds/whiskey_bumblebee
Summary: Collection of my Charlie Barber writings, Love Story (multi chapter longfic) not included.This piece: Charlie and Reader's first kiss, Charlie is still married to NicoleAnonymous asked: Hey a lil somethin somethin if you so wish to write. Charlie and reader been on a few dates and haven’t kissed so reader asks him if he ever plans on kissing her. Take it wherever you’d like it to. 😌x
Relationships: Charlie Barber/Reader, Charlie Barber/You
Kudos: 10





	1. Sweet Kisses

It was an odd time for a dinner, midnight. You were among the last people in the diner, tucked away in a cosy little corner booth, away from anyone who could see. Your heart beat a little faster when the waitress brought out two spoons for the dessert you’d ordered.

Charlie smiled, noticed how you noticed the cutlery. 

“One day I’ll bring you home and actually cook for you, I promise,” He reached across the table and rested his thumb on the side of your hand, brushed it back and forth over the soft skin there,

It may have been midnight, it may have been Queens and not Manhattan, it may have been the back corner of a dimly lit diner, but he wouldn’t risk it. He couldn’t bear to lose you to gossip, rumors.

Loose lips sink ships.

You talked for a few more minutes about the week coming up, sweet domestic nothings that you both committed to memory, made mental notes to check in after certain appointments. For you, it was meetings at your new job. For him it was meetings with lawyers.

“In three seconds I want you to say exactly what you were just thinking, three, two, one-”

“I’m proud of you.”

You both laughed, unsure if you’d read each others’ minds or just truly been on the same page. Either way, the waitress couldn’t help but smile as she set down the plate while you smiled at each other, tenderly exchanging gentle touches on your hands.

He waited for you to pick up a spoon first, then took his. 

“I’m proud of how you’ve settled in. You’ve been doing really well to change jobs and work so hard.”

“Thank you. I’m proud of you too. None of what you’re doing is easy.”

He shrugged with a boyish smile. “One thing is.”

You traced a flower on the back of his hand, drawing the stem down his index finger and appreciating his half moons as you got to his nail bed.

When you glanced back up, he reached with his empty spoon towards your mouth. You froze, careful not to move an inch.

He scooped a fleck of chocolate sauce from your lip then tucked the spoon into his mouth.

While you were taking another spoonful, he spoke again.

“I’ve been dying to kiss you.”

You polished off your mouthful and smiled.

“Don’t die.”

He hummed and leaned across the table, fanning a menu out to conceal your faces from the rest of the diner.

Your lips met in the middle, warm and sweet. He pulled away first, keeping the kiss chaste. 

“I didn’t want to rush you but I’d been hoping you’d do that all night,” You said, starry-eyed.

Your name was so soft on his lips that you thought you’d melt. “Trust me, if none of the other bullshit was happening, I’d be kissing you left right and center.”


	2. Tony's Fitting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked:  
> I’d do anything for Charlie Barber anything
> 
> Nothing explicit but shenanigans mentioned ;)

It was the day of your final fitting for your gown for the Tony’s. You smiled into the mirror while you thought about that, Charlie accepting a Tony with you right there beside him. 

Finishing up your makeup, you called out to Charlie that you were about to leave. 

Careful not to smudge anything, he pressed a tender kiss to your scalp. Your joy was childlike, anticipation building for the big night. 

“Have you picked out your tie?”

He hummed and kissed you softly, quickly before you could scold him for smudging your lipstick.

“Have your stylist send my stylist a swatch of your dress,” He teased and jumped back with a laugh as you swatted at him with the back of your hand.

“You look pretty.” He nestled his head next to yours in the little mirrored bathroom cabinet.

You squeezed your eyes shut with a grin, and shrugged. “Thank you.”

Charlie hadn’t seen the dress yet. You thought you’d like to keep it a surprise, just for fun.

It was black and draped over your body in all the right ways, with a little cutout in the torso, daring enough for a red carpet.

With your lips smudged anyway, you kissed him again briefly. “I really gotta go. I’ll see you soon.”

“Should we leave lunch on the counter or in the fridge?”

“Oh, on the stove. Tell Henry good morning and good luck with his speech.”

“Will do,” Charlie called after you as you paused at the front door to blow him a kiss.

You couldn’t help but gush to the designer once the dress was on you. With how it fit now, you never wanted to take it off. 

“There’s just one thing,” She remarked as she knelt in front of the dress, by your torso.

“Is it the cutout?” You tried to peer down to see what she was looking at.

“Yes… Did you and Charlie get up to anything last night, by chance?”

She looked up at you with a gleeful grin.

You blushed and laughed a little nervously. Of course your stylist knew, everyone knew by now, that you were together.

“What is it?”

“There’s a little red spot. A love bite, I’d say.”

You paled and dropped your head onto your shoulder. “Oh god, I thought I’d managed to keep everything higher than that. I’m so sorry.”

“No problem, it happens more often than you’d think,” She laughed, angelic and reassuring. “We have options. We can do shapewear, a band aid, some concealer, or we could add a little belt or something.”

You hummed and looked in the mirror as she stood up and stepped back while you appraised yourself.

“I’m just worried concealer would rub off when I sit down, and I’m not into shapewear either. Do you think we could add a little sash or something?”

Already digging through the tote bag of accessories and offcuts, your designer pulled out a few scraps.

“Mesh?” She held it up to the cutout and shook her head. “I like the idea of solid fabric more.”

Holding up an opaque strip that wrapped over your natural waist but didn’t ruin the point of the cutout, she nodded. “This could work. Do you like that?”

You nodded. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to make extra work on short notice.”

She shook her head and gently rearranged your hair. “Not at all, I can hand-sew this right now if you have a moment. I’ll be twenty minutes, ish.”

“You’re a godsend, thank you,” You sighed in relief as you started pulling down the zipper.

You smiled and beckoned Charlie off the red carpet, behind the makeshift backdrop and out of the way of everyone, attendees, nominees and photographers alike.

Once you had his undivided attention, you nudged down the recently added strip, revealing the love bite.

Charlie laughed and ran his finger over it lovingly. “You should have left it out. It’s a nice little statement.”

You gasped in mock shock. “What? A statement that we fucked?”

Charlie pulled back his hand and carefully settled the strip back into place. “I like this dress a lot. The little sashes add something too, they make it a little more intriguing.”

“Mmm, let’s get you up on that stage so I can get you home,” You whispered in his ear.

“I hear the bathrooms here are pretty nice,” He teased right back, with a little bite to your ear before he pulled away.

You stroked his tie with admiration, how much work had gone into creating these custom garments for the both of you. You’d hang them up instead of leaving them on the bedroom floor. 


	3. Hand Holding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Charlie have been trying to negotiate how much PDA is okay in front of Henry, until one day, Henry just asks you about it.

It’s not uncommon for you to hold hands with Henry. Crossing the road with him while you walk to Charlie’s playhouse, keeping track of him in a dense crowd while you browsed the sales at Macy’s...

Every now and again he’d reach for it, when he was nervous or wanted to keep a hold of you. Of course, you’d asked Charlie if it was fine with him, and you were cautious about who saw you doing it, and making sure Henry was comfortable.

Henry held Charlie’s hand too, even if he had to bend down a little to accommodate it when he was younger, shorter. But one thing you hadn’t yet done was hold hands with Charlie in front of Henry. Something about it seemed a little too on the nose, a little too risky.

You’d become bolder over time, sure. But bold for you two meant brushing the backs of your hands against each others, a kiss on the cheek disguised as a whisper, Charlie’s hand lingering on the small of your back after a photo was taken.

Still oh-so-careful, even now that the divorce suit had ended, even now that most of your close friends knew, some of Charlie’s colleagues. 

Charlie would never let anyone hurt you over the fact that the two of you had met while him and Nicole were technically still together. Didn’t want to risk names being slung at you from across the country, or Henry’s perception of you being colored by what others might say. 

He told you, one night, long after Henry had gone to bed, that he thought it would be okay if you held hands. Henry would understand.

“I think he knows it’s more than friendship,” Charlie said your name softly. “And besides, I want you to move in. Maybe if we hold hands, or kiss or something, we can be closer to that.”

You scrubbed the pot a little harder, pressed your lips together.

“It’s only been a couple months, I don’t wanna rush him.”

A few days later, you were walking back from the library, and as fate would have it, Henry just asked, like it was nothing.

“How come you guys never hold hands?”

It took a lot not to balk, unsure how to reply.

You looked at Charlie and shrugged, left the ball in his court.

“I guess I’m not scared she’ll get lost. She’s a bit taller than you, kiddo.”

“Sadie and Ryan at school hold hands even when they aren’t gonna lose each other. Sadie says they’re boyfriend and girlfriend.”

Charlie paled and looked over at you for help.

“Do you think we’re boyfriend and girlfriend, Henry?”

“Well, you spend a lot of time together. I think you like my dad and I think he likes you.”

You pretended to consider it, tilted your head to the side and touched your chin. 

“Charlie, do you think we’re dating?”

“We might be. I gotta ask someone important first though.”

Charlie moved to the side of the path, gestured for Henry to follow him. You pretended to admire the flowers outside the bodega, even though they were a couple of days old.

“Would you mind if we were boyfriend and girlfriend?”

Henry nodded. “Just don’t be gross about it.”

You smiled at the kid logic, how clear and definitive it was. 

“So I can hold her hand?”

“I don’t know dad, you’d have to ask her first. That’s what you tell me to do when I wanna touch someone.”

Henry started walking again, pulled his little cart along behind him. You and Charlie followed behind, and you smiled at him encouragingly. 

“He’s got a point, I gotta ask you first.”

“Go ahead.”

You were blushing a little bit, felt like a teenager again. 

“Could I hold your hand?”

You nodded, entwined your fingers with his. He leaned down to whisper in your ear, finished his sentence with a chaste kiss to your neck while Henry’s back was turned. He was smiling when he pulled away, felt a little bit freer than he did a few minutes ago.

_“I really don’t wanna lose you.”_


	4. Sick Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the-temple-pythoness asked:  
> Charlie Barber loves it when his partner takes care of him or Henry when they're sick. Calling it now! Hehe

They are comically bad when they’re sick. 

At first, when you’re still hiding your relationship from everyone, it’s just the two of them who catch the flu or the cold or the bug or…

So you’ll be there with your frozen chicken soup, the recipe tacked to the top because you can’t come over all that often, not with the attention Charlie is starting to get as his career picks up.

If Charlie is really under the weather, you’ll go grocery shopping for him, checking off the list to a T because you know what it feels like to not have what you need when you’re ill. If you can afford to, you add a little extra bottle of high quality honey, an extra pack of tea bags. 

Both of them get a kiss to the forehead after you’ve taken their temperatures, both of them get a hair ruffle because you’re nothing if not fair. 

You’ll whip up a pot of coffee for Charlie because he insists you can do it better. He doesn’t tell you but he keeps it for days, only allows himself one cup of your brew so that it doesn’t run out too fast. 

Charlie calls you ‘nurse’ when he’s like this. Fuzzy and feeling not so good, so he’ll beckon you over and beg for you to make him some toast. You roll your eyes but you love it, you love him.

By the time you leave, they’re tucked into bed with cozy blankets and hot water bottles, or ice packs and cups of juice, whatever they need.

You smile as you open the front door to your apartment. Like clockwork, on the tenth day, he’s fine. A little congested, sure, but full of energy and well enough to kiss you on the cheek. Without fail, he’ll bring you a loaf of bread on that last day. 

With the time off work, he likes to bake you something. Sometimes it’ll be a sourdough and some brownies, other times a rye loaf and some cookies, with Charlie and Henry’s names proudly iced on, to show who made which cookie. That was your favorite.

Your boys are AWFUL when they’re sick. But you love them twice as hard because they always do the same for you.


End file.
